


third time, not the charm

by helsinkibaby



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Abbie Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Future Fic, Het, Romance, TW: mentions of racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:14:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26480995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: “Lieutenant, we must stop meeting like this.”“If you mean me pulling your ass out of jail, I’m inclined to agree.”
Relationships: Ichabod Crane/Abbie Mills
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37
Collections: Het Swap Exchange 2020





	third time, not the charm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jedibuttercup](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jedibuttercup/gifts).



> For the hetswap exchange.... not entirely sure I’ve done this justice, and I’m beyond terrified that some of the mentioned subject matter might not hit right, but hopefully some of the conversation will hold true, and we get a happy ever after!

Abbie's heels clacked against the tiles as she made her way through the corridors of the Sleepy Hollow Police Station, the echo reverberating like a drumbeat in her head, keeping exact time with the pounding of her heart, to say nothing of the pounding of the vein in her temple. This was not exactly how she had envisioned a visit to her old stomping grounds and while there were some people who smiled at her in recognition, once they saw the look on her face, they quickly looked elsewhere. 

Which did nothing to help her mood. 

The desk sergeant had known exactly why she was there and he'd waved her on through, basically giving her the run of the place. Score one for professional courtesy, she thought, even if the way she was feeling right now was anything but professional. Pausing for a second before she rounded the corner heading towards the cells, she took a deep breath, let it out slowly, did everything she had ever learned in therapy to keep her emotions in check, keep her temper. 

When nothing worked, and she figured that if she was to keep trying, she might be standing there until Doomsday - and knowing what she knew about mythical prophecies and demons and end of the world stuff, that was easily a possibility - she shook herself, squaring her shoulders and began to walk. 

She heard his voice before she saw him, almost like he'd been waiting for her. Which of course, he had. He'd also had the early warning system of the sound of her footsteps, so his first words, "Lieutenant... we simply must stop meeting like this," were probably the product of long thought. Said with a smile that was somewhat beseeching, the words had absolutely no effect on Abbie. 

Crossing her arms over her chest, she stared him down. Which given their respective heights might have been a challenge but given the amount of practice she'd had over the years, it was child's play. "If you mean me finding your ass in a jail cell, Crane, I'd tend to agree." She was decidedly tart and he swallowed hard, looking momentarily taken aback. 

Only for a moment though. Then he rallied, forcing a smile to his lips. "Well... third time's the charm then." 

"Seriously?" Abbie took a step towards him and he actually took one back, seemingly figuring that the bars between them might not actually be able to save him. It was possibly the first good decision he'd made that day. "That's what you're going with?" She bit the words out betwen clenched teeth. "I am an FBI agent, Crane. Do you know how it looks for me to have to leave the office in the middle of a case to spring my husband out of jail?" 

Crane looked down, not before she saw him swallow again. When he looked up, he was suitably contrite. "I realise that my current predicament is quite at odds with your chosen profession and I can only apologise." Then he sniffed, his spine straightening, his nostrils flaring. "To you, that is. To the reprobate in the coffee shop, however..." 

"You're damn lucky he's not pressing charges." Something occurred to Abbie, something that she'd missed in the shock of the phone call, the embarrassment of having to leave the Task Force meeting, the long drive back to Sleepy Hollow. "Why the hell are you starting fights with perfect strangers anyway?" 

"My dear Left-tenant..." Crane's voice carried worlds of scorn, and the emphasis on the first syllable of her title was sharp enough to cut glass. "That individual may have been many things, however, let me assure you that perfect is nowhere near the list." 

Abbie narrowed her eyes, the penny slowly dropping that there was something more than met the eye going on. "Keep talking." 

Another nostril flare. "If you expect me to repeat the particulars of our conversation..."

"Oh, don't give me that 'I'm too much of a gentleman to have this conversation in front of a lady' crap." Abbie cut him off. As his wife, she considered it her right, if not her duty, to do that when he started in on that nonsense. "I'm an FBI agent, I'm a cop and I'm your wife. Believe me, it's nothing I haven't heard before." When he still looked reluctant, she played her trump card. "You got yourself arrested when you were in charge of our daughter; if you want back into our house tonight, start talking." 

When he pressed his lips together, she knew she'd won. "Miss Jenny and I were having a spot of lunch. Miss Jenny was holding Elizabeth who was in fine form, showing off her new teeth to all and sundry." Abbie could picture the scene and it made her smile despite herself. "When the... individual at the next table decided to make some comments." 

He paused.

When it went on a trifle too long, Abbie lifted one eyebrow. She was just about to tap her foot when he relented. "He misinterpreted the matter, coming to the conclusion that Miss Jenny was Elizabeth's mother and the correct conclusion that I am her father." Abbie could suddenly see where this was going and she didn't like it, her stomach twisting. She almost wanted to tell Crane to stop but once started, he kept going. "He apparently holds some rather strong negative opinions on the mixing of the races, which he was not shy in sharing with us." 

Except that Crane knew how to hold his tongue and, after years of practice, so did Jenny. There was only one reason why Crane would have lost his temper. "I realise settling arguments with violence is wrong in this twenty-first century world," Crane continued softly, "but if you had heard what he said about Elizabeth... and I will not repeat it, so do not ask me to-"

"I wouldn't." Abbie's own voice was quiet as she took a closer step towards the iron bars. 

"I have fought all my life for freedom, for equality," he added. "I have fought demons and Biblical monsters, I have fought Death itself and watched you do the same." He shook his head. "I trained as a soldier, fought with George Washington himself. And the idea of anyone threatening that child..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head. "The idea of letting that go unchecked... it is unconscionable to me." 

Abbie stepped forward again, slid the key into the lock and turned it. "Of course it is," she said, pulling the door open. 

Crane tilted his head, eyeing her warily as if suspecting a trap. "You seem calmer." 

Once again, Abbie found herself lifting an eyebrow. This time, she was smiling. "Crane, you were standing up for our daughter. The day you don't do that is the day we'll have a problem." 

He still looked suspicious as she walked up to him, but when she slipped her arms around his waist, laying her head on its usual place on his chest, he relaxed, his hands resting on her back, his cheek on the top of her head. "I would do anything to protect her," he whispered. "And you." She chuckled as she felt him stiffen, could almost see the panic on his face as he back-pedalled hurriedly with, "Not that you need protection, of course, as an agent of the law I recognise you are quite capable of looking after yourself..."

"Ichabod." He stopped talking. Even after all these years, she used his given name rarely, preferring Crane in everyday conversation, just like he still referred to her as "Lieutenant" most of the time. She was well aware that people sometimes found that odd but, then again, she'd long since stopped caring what people thought of her. She lifted her head, looked up to meet his gaze. "Let's go home."

He didn't argue with her. 

Later, as she stood in the doorway of their living room, watching him as he read to their daughter, the little girl staring up at him with huge eyes, like he was the most important thing in her universe, she found herself thinking back over all the things that had happened since that first meeting in the Sleepy Hollow jail. Literal Biblical prophecies, demonic possession, monsters and ghosts and witches, time travel and death... they’d fought tooth and nail to save the world and, in so doing, created their own little world that was worth saving. 

“You look deep in thought, Lieutenant.” Crane’s voice was a cross between amused and wary, with good reason after their earlier conversation. He relaxed visibly when she smiled at him, even more so when she crossed the room and dropped onto the couch beside him. 

“Just happy,” she said simply, reaching over and tickling Elizabeth under her chin. The baby shrieked with giggles, leaning back in Crane’s arms, then, predictably, lifted her head up and back, granting Abbie better access to do it again. Abbie of course obliged, and that time, Crane’s laughter mingled with the child’s, bringing a smile to Abbie’s face as well. 

Happily ever after, she thought to herself, catching Crane’s eye. 

It sounded good.


End file.
